A budget tabletop water dispenser priced at HK$749 was found to perform on par with a premium model costing HK$6,488, according to a new study released by the Consumer Council, underscoring that higher prices do not necessarily translate into better performance.
The council said it tested eight tabletop water dispensers priced between HK$749 and HK$6,488, in collaboration with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. The assessment covered safety, heating performance, temperature stability, and product information transparency.
The results showed that all tested models met safety standards and were able to supply hot water quickly. However, the council found noticeable differences in how consistently the dispensers maintained water temperature during repeated use.
Three samples showed uneven temperature distribution when dispensing multiple cups of hot water consecutively. Excluding the first cup, which generally recorded a lower average temperature, the temperatures of the subsequent three cups varied at the water outlets.
The council said such fluctuations could affect the taste and quality of instant food that requires consistently high-temperature water.
One of the samples recorded a maximum temperature difference of 10.3 degrees Celsius per cup, while two others showed differences exceeding five degrees Celsius per cup.
The council also identified inconsistencies in how manufacturers described maximum water temperature in instruction manuals.
Some samples defined the maximum temperature as the water temperature inside the dispenser rather than the temperature at the outlet, which could be misleading for consumers.
To improve transparency, the council recommended that manufacturers and distributors clearly state how water temperature is measured on product packaging, websites, leaflets, and instruction manuals.
Four samples achieved the highest overall rating of 4.5 out of five, including models both with and without built-in water filtration functions.
Notably, the Xiaomi MJMY23-A, the lowest-priced model at HK$749, received a rating comparable to the PHILIPS ADD6922CG/97, which costs HK$6,488.
The four models receiving the top rating of 4.5 were the PHILIPS ADD6922CG/97, priced at HK$6,488 and equipped with a filtering function; the Rasonic RWD-HC3400/W, priced at HK$1,980 without a filtering function; the FACHIOO Helena-C1, priced at HK$1,390 without a filtering function; and the Xiaomi MJMY23-A, priced at HK$749 without a filtering function.
